Amidst all the discussions in the past 12 months about the future funding of universities and students, one image has emerged as a constant in much of the debates and most of the media coverage – namely the vision of the first-time student as an 18 year old school leaver, qualified with A-levels, ready to flee the nest of anxious parents and head-off to university. The reality, of course, is very different.

One in four first time undergraduates is a mature student. Nearly half of students progress to university from college rather than school while just under 50% of all students who are studying on undergraduate courses do not have A-levels among their pre-entry qualifications. More than 40% of all higher education students study part-time while others take advantage of accelerated learning.

This statistical reality check is a sharp reminder that the UK student body is phenomenally diverse and the different experiences that people bring to university as students remains one of the great strengths of the UK's world-class university system.

We simply cannot continue to have policy and funding regimes predicated on caricature rather than the reality of life for all of our students. If the Higher Education White Paper 'putting students at the heart of the system' really means what it says then the views and experiences of mature students need to inform future thinking. ministers, MPs, civil servants, the media and indeed, some universities all need to move on.

There has never been a better time to undertake this work. While it is much too soon to draw any conclusions from the October UCAS statistics, they do provide an early wake-up call in terms of mature students. Compared to this time last year, applications from these students have decreased significantly – a clue that ministers should not wait for the NUS/ million+ report and should re double their efforts and ensure that their 2012 publicity campaign targets mature students and not just those at school and college.

I welcome the fact that ministers have made clear that they want to promote a society in which people can improve their lot in life, including by studying at university. However, the focus on free school meals and progression to a handful of universities by younger students is symptomatic of an agenda which completely excludes the achievements and talents of mature students and ignores the universities which offer them opportunities. Making sure that no one is shut out of education should be paramount. A 'one-size fits all' approach to social mobility is unlikely to celebrate the success of mature students.

In an million+ study earlier this year, older people gave different reasons to younger respondents about whether or not they might progress to university. These prospective mature students were more debt and risk averse, felt that they had missed out in education terms but also wanted to get more rewarding jobs. Studying at university as a mature student also provides an important route back into the labour market for those who find themselves unemployed.

There has been much talk about the life-long learning agenda for many years. Similarly, politicians and funding bodies have talked about the benefits of a diverse student profile. Now is the ideal time to listen to mature students and make sure future policy from government and in universities meets the realities of life for mature students.